


Natural Beauty (and Its Secret Scars)

by ChocolateXMyMouth



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forest Hike, Natasha Romanov Feels, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, OTP Feels, Protective Steve Rogers, Sunsets, Wakanda (Marvel), Walking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:47:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateXMyMouth/pseuds/ChocolateXMyMouth
Summary: (Short and sweet one shot prompted by a friend!)Steve and Natasha go for a walk in the forests of Wakanda, after Thor killed Thanos before he could snap.And this evening, Nat's got a lot on her mind and soul. Thankfully, Steve always knows just what to say to calm her mind.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Natural Beauty (and Its Secret Scars)

Four months.

It had been four months since, mere miles from where they stood, Thor - god of thunder, son of Odin, had driven his axe into the chest of the Mad Titan, Thanos, and saved half of the universe from wiping out of existence. Wakanda’s grounds were now historic - the fate of the universe had quite literally been decided in its lush, secretive forestry. 

Trillions of souls owed their continued existence to a man who most only knew as a legend.

Of course, those who knew were grateful these souls had no idea about this - it was already such a burden on them to begin with; the collective weight of everyone knowing they were mere seconds away from demise without reason was… it was heart shattering.

That’s why, to take their minds off of this heavy matter, Steve and Nat were going for a walk together.

Steve had finally shaved his beard - Nat liked it, but Thor wouldn’t stop berating him jokingly for copying his looks. Steve obviously didn’t shave it for that reason, as he himself found that quite funny, but _gosh,_ baby-faced Captain America was something she never knew she missed so badly.

Nat, meanwhile, was waiting for an order of hair dye to come in for herself… she liked being blonde, but her red hair was something she longed for again; subtly, she realized this by covering her hair with a red beanie, letting her locks flow down her forehead messily.

The leaves of autumn crunched under their boots as they walked together, hand in hand, marveling at the natural beauty of the forest. The deep sunset glow contrasted so nicely with the changing leaves…

Steve smiled. “God was having a good day when He made fall, evidently.”

“He sure was,” Nat said, finding Steve’s smile so contagious. Everything about her man was so, so good… she loved all of him. Even his few imperfections; those actually just made her love him even more.

She still didn’t comprehend how he could love her with all of her flaws.

Thinking about them… every one of her traumatic memories… it brought her back down. The burdens of having so much to think about were weighing on her again.

Steve stopped walking, and she did too.

“My gosh…”

Nat looked at what Steve was pointing to. Her breath escaped her mouth with a sharp, yet slow, gasp… the sunset behind the Wakanda landscape filled her vision with so many different shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and blue… the sight could make anyone marvel at the natural creation, even maybe tear up.

“You know, it reminds me of you.”

Nat looked up at Steve with curiosity brimming her eyes. “Hmm?” she asked, tilting her head.

“The sunset - I see so much of you in it,” Steve continued with a fond smile. “I see so much of your passion and fury in the reds and oranges; you can never be stopped at something you set your mind to. And yet, in the blues and pinks, there’s your caring side… you have no hesitation to show it whenever you see someone in need; like when you nurtured Wanda when we weren’t sure if Vision would pull through, or when you comforted Thor for his loss.”

“Hmm… could get used to this,” Nat smirked, trying to blink back tears that had stupidly crept up on her while she was listening to Steve practically pour his heart out next to her. “And uh… what about the yellow?”

Steve looked down at her, kissing her forehead. “I like to think that’s the natural beauty of the very pretty woman I’m looking at right now.”

Nat giggled softly, hugging his side. Her expression then softened. “Steve, I’m not beautiful.”

“Why would you say that, sweetheart?” asked Steve.

“I’m… Steve, you know why,” Nat sighed, “I’m scarred beyond belief. There’s just… there’s so much about me, about my past, that should send you running. I shouldn’t be here, experiencing this beautiful sunset with a person like you. For all I’ve done… I-I-”

“You do deserve this, Natasha,” Steve whispered, the use of her full name instead of one of their many pet names causing her skin to shudder with love. “Just because your scarred doesn’t mean you are not beautiful - the scars are _part_ of your beauty.”

“How can you love a woman who’s done what I’ve done, though?” Nat blinked, trying not to curl her lip too far down.

“Because you aren’t that woman anymore - I love the woman standing in front of me now, not the one who’s done those things,” Steve assured her. “For that woman is gone… and the one I’m standing in front of, as far as I can tell, is alive and well, right in my arms.”

Nat blinked back fresh tears from Steve’s words - she let out a shaky breath, smiling up at him. He always, somehow, knew exactly what to say.

“You know I hate you for this,” Nat said, letting out a wet chuckle as she wiped her eyes.

“I love you too,” Steve smiled affectionately.

“Hey… can I ask you to do something for me?” Nat asked. “After all you’ve done for me today, I feel like it’s only appropriate I ask.”

“Of course,” Steve nodded.

Nat then looked up at him with the sweetest eyes she could muster. “Carry me?”

Steve chuckled - he then scooped her up in his arms, and she was thankful no one was around to hear the very high pitched squeal of excitement and surprise she had just let out.

Yes, she was scarred.

But that was part of her - part of who she was.

And Steve would always love her natural beauty, even with the secret scars.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments/Kudos give me life!! <3 Thank you guys so much for reading! Please, stay safe and remember I love all of you! :D


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